The Lost Elfling
by SecretlyInInk
Summary: Elladan was supposed to look after him, keep him safe. So what went wrong?


_Author's Note: In this story, like many of my others, Elrohir has twin children: Ellabrían and Elrodan. It's just a little idea I came up with, and I think it's heartwarming. I hope you like it, but please let me know if you don't._

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, nor do I pretend to.**

Rivendell: TA 1348

"Arwen, Elrodan is missing!" Elladan, twin of Elrohir, rushed into the kitchens, where Arwen was standing at a counter and helping the hand maidens to make bread. Her face and hands were covered in flour, and she looked displeased at the interruption.

"What? How can he be missing? Weren't you watching him?"

Elladan paled, already well aware that the missing _ellon_ was his fault. But it was difficult to watch one child, let alone twins. "Last I saw him, he and Ellabrían were in the gardens, smelling flowers. But now one of the hand maidens has got her, and is giving her a bath."

Arwen looked up, exasperated by his lack of knowledge. "Well, what did Ellabrían say when you asked her where her brother was?" Certainly she would know where her brother had left to, if they had before been together.

"She looked up at me with those big, childish eyes and said; 'it's not my job to watch him…'" Elladan sighed. He watched as Arwen cleaned off her hands, and together the two left the kitchens.

"Imagine! Even that little girl has grown tired of watching her twin!"

Elladan nodded, thinking that the idea was amusing. Or it would have been, if Elrodan wasn't still out of sight. "Well, we need to find him before Elrohir finds out that his son is missing." The idea of his brother's wraith seemed even worse than the deeds of Morgoth.

Arwen turned to look at her older brother. "What do you mean 'we'? You were the one who was supposed to look after them today!" Always she got dragged into the trouble of the twins, even when they were well past childhood. But nonetheless, the two began scouring every nook and cranny of Imladris, searching for their young nephew. Elladan checked the near the pond, in the archery fields, and even among the stables. Arwen kept to the inside, running through the kitchen, checking each bedroom, and even looking in the library!

Just when they were about to go to Elrond for help, Elladan found a tiny, wooden ship lying in the grass now far from the banks of a swift stream that cut through the woods. "Oh… no." With an unmeasured amount of pain in his eyes, he looked into the depths of the water. If the Elfling had fallen in there, he would have been washed away in moments. Pocketing the beloved ship, he returned inside to go to his father.

Coming to the door of Elrond's study, Elladan walked in without knocking. Had he stopped to listen first, he would have realized that someone was already speaking with his father. There was Erestor, and by happy surprise, Elrodan was also there. But the young _ellon _seemed to almost cower, and the look on Erestor's face was one of scorn.

"I tell you My Lord, this boy is more trouble than his worth! This is the third time in the passing season!" He shook his head, giving Elladan a glare as he interrupted the meeting. Often had the two twins tormented this elf, and now it seemed that Elrohir's son would carry on the tradition.

Elrond noted his son's presence, but turned instead to the Elfling who had his head bent in shame. "Elrodan, that was very naught of you. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Elrodan looked up at his father's father, as he spoke. "Only that you never even looked at the picture I had made for you…" This he had tucked behind his back, away from the stern eyes of the older elves.

His hurt, childish eyes made Elrond's face soften, and he rose from his chair. Coming to the young one, he bent to his level. "I am sorry Elrodan, but you now you should not have been touching the things in Erestor's study, even if all you wanted was to draw me a picture. Now, let me see it…" He took the rolled parchment from the boy's hand, and examined it. The drawing was of Elrond looking quite victorious, seated atop a crudely draw horse, and bearing a sword as in battle. At the horse's hoofs were a scattering of orcs, lying at their deathbeds. After studying the picture and giving a small word of praise, Elrond stood and dismissed the older elves from the room, Elladan leaving the toy ship on his father's desk. Then he returned to his chair, and beckoned Elrodan to come sit near him.

"_Alagion_, did I ever tell you of my deeds at the Battle of Dargorlad?" And so, for the next twenty five minutes, he told the tale, in attempts to raise the spirits of the Elfling he had reprimanded.

_Notes on the Elvish:  
__Ellon: Male Elf  
__Alagion: Son of the Impetuous One, a nickname for the boy_


End file.
